Perforated soap-enclosing cover



Sept. 23, 19.52 G, LAMBERT 2,611,144

PERFORATED SOAP-ENCLOSING COVER Filed Feb. 18, .1948

: T Vr n BY ATTORNEYS Paiemed sept. 23, 195.2

- 2,611,144,"r` .Y l PE.RFOMTEDSOAP-ENGL()sind:corran Georseslambert,Lyons-France' l Applicationfebruary18,1948,-Seria1N0.9,090H' f A In France December v16, 1938 f section 1., aan Law 69.0, August .8,1946 Patent expires December .16, 19,58

1 Y t This invention relates toan improved soap holding device of the kind in which the soap contained therein is employed for washing and cleaning purposes without removing it therefrom.

It is known when making use of soaps that the lather constitutes the main factor in cleaning and therefore means for producing an abundant and lasting lather are more required particularly in hard water containing alkaline or earth alkaline salts such as lime or magnesium salts in which it is normally diincult to produce a good lather and the object of the present invention is a soap holding device which will give a maximum lather for given conditions of water and soap employed and will assist the penetration of the lather into the surface to be cleaned.

According to the invention the outer surface of the device is formed with a large number of cells, each cell having a hole in its base communicating with the interior of the device whereby when the device is pressed against and rubbed over the surface to be cleaned, the cells act as suction devices and by alternate pressure and relaxation of pressure promote the formation of the lather to the maximum extent and cause its penetration into the surface to be cleaned.

The invention is illustrated in and will be described vwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view partly in section of another form of the invention.

Both forms of the invention comprise a receptacle B of rubber or like resilient material into which the soap A is inserted through the orifice the two walls of which d which being of rubber can be stretched to allow of the insertion of a cake or piece of soap of larger dimensions than those of the orice.

IIhe outer surface of the receptacle B is divided into a number of cells b by two series of ribs e and f at right angles or substantially at right angles to one another and a hole c is formed at the bottom of each cell.

In use the receptacle B is filled with one or more cakes or pieces of soap A and is then pressed onto and rubbed over the surface to be cleaned, each cell b producing an action similar to that of a suction device or cupping glass by alternate pressure and relaxation of pressure promoting the action of the lather and ensuring a deep penetration of the lather into the surface to be cleaned as, although it might be expected 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-12'2l i that the holes in'the'fbottom `of the 'cells-would preventthem froLmacting as suctionvdevicve's, this is not the case since at tle'moment of'rub# bing, at least a portion of the hole is covered by the contact of the soap on the inner surface of the receptacle.

It is apparent thus that I have devised a novel soap-holder bag of the type matching exactly the shape of the soap-cake and allowing the use of said soap through the perforations of the bag. This, of course, is not the gist of the invention which lies in the provision throughout the outer surface of such a soap-holder bag of a honeycomb structure of ribs. This allows a sucking disc operation between the skin of the user and the recesses dened by cooperating transversal and longitudinal ribs and the bottom of which is formed by the wall of the bag the perforation in which is closed by the cake of soap itself. Such a novel soap-holder provides avery easy and extremely healthy manner of washing ones hands and at the same time the making of the bag isindustrially an exceedingly simple and cheap matter. Of course, I do not intend to claim per se the honey-comb arrangement of longitudinal and transversal ribs as used already for flat massage brushes or porous sponge carriers without any sucking operation being possibly provided thereby. On the other hand a similar vacuum and suction action has been already proposed with a somewhat similar honeycomb arrangement of ribs but only in the case of structures with a solid rigid back inserted between the hand of an operator and the textile goods to be rinsed, which is obviously a very different object when compared with a closed holder through the perforations of which alternatingly soap water is to be delivered and sucked off the soaked skin.

What I claim is:

l. A perforated soap-enclosing cover comprising a bag of elastic material provided with an opening and with a plurality of regularly distributed perforations arranged in longitudinal and transversal rows, said bag being adapted tc enclose and hold firmly a soap cake introduced through the opening into it, and two systems of ribs of elastic material crossing one another, formed on the outside of and integral with the bag and dening through their outer edges a continuous checker-work of uninterrupted narrow surfaces, the ribs of both systems extending between the longitudinal and transversal rows of perforations respectively and forming with one another a plurality of four-sided recesses registering with the corresponding perforations in the bag.

2. A perforated soap-enclosing cover comprising a bag of elastic material provided with an opening at least at one end for the elastic introduction ofat least one cake of soap to be snugly held inside the bag. and with a plurality of regularly distributed perforations arranged in 1ongitudinal and transversal rows, and two systems of ribs of elastic material crossing one another formed on the outside of and integral with the bag and dening through their outer edges a continuous checker-Work of uninterrupted narrow surfaces. the ribs of one system extending substantially from the opening at one end of the cover along meridian lines between adjacent longitudinal rows of perforations, and the ribs of the other system extending between adjacent transversal rows of perforations and forming with the longitudinal ribs right-angled recesses having uninterrupted sides adapted to cooperate with the perforated portion of the cover forming the bottom of said recesses, and the portion of the 4 soap cake appearing through the perforation in said portion, thus constituting a sucking disc with the part to be cleaned.

GEORGES LAMBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 358,625 Robinson Mar. 1. 1887 489,697 Taylor Jan. 10, 1893 575,159 Johnson Jan. 12, 1897 904,650 Sampson Nov. 24, 1908 1,292,982 Wolfe Jan. 28, 1919 1,418,019 Pearson May 30, 1922 1,554,789 Crary Sept. 22, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 854,355 France Jan. 15, 1940 

